The Reason Behind
by White Crow
Summary: The reason why Harry keeps on trying to sort things out between his two best friends...


DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.   
  
The Reason Behind  
  
"I've had enough of this!"  
  
"At last, we agree on something!"  
  
Hermione and Ron were shouting at each other as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower that afternoon. Hermione was so angry sparks seemed to come out of her hair. Ron was so red you'd have a hard time identifying him from a very large tomato.  
  
"Ursa Major!" Hermione shouted at the Fat Lady's portrait.  
  
"Now, now dear, there's no need to shout," said the Fat Lady in a shocked voice, as it swung open to accommodate them.  
  
"Shut up!" Hermione snarled as she entered the student-filled common room.  
  
Ron followed her, an almost wild look on his face. "You see! You see what I mean! Even innocent portraits are no exemption to your ranting! I thought that you'd leave THEM out of this but nooo…---"  
  
Hermione turned around to face Ron, her face screwed up in anger. "Shut the hell up, Ron!" She cut him off in mid-sentence. "And don't dare try changing the god damn topic!"  
  
The students who were laughing and joking around a minute before now all had their heads turned to the pair. They seemed stunned with the sudden verbal scandal.  
  
"So, I'm trying to change the topic now, am I?" Ron shouted back, his hands balled into fists at his side.  
  
The students seemed to snap out of their shocked state and began to quickly get out of the warpath; some edged around the couple and opened the portrait door, others climbed the staircases to their respective dormitories. Everyone went away so fast that in no time, only Harry was left sitting in one corner, rubbing his forehead tiredly.  
  
Since the two became a couple that summer before their sixth year, their fights became more intense and frequent. Sometimes, they'd fight over very small things, sometimes about big things. But most of the time, they fought over things that only the both of them could relate to. Even Harry, who was at first happy for his best friends quickly became upset with the two. He just couldn't see the reason why they should still be together if they often wanted to bite each other's heads off.  
  
Harry sighed as he stood up and slowly approached his bickering friends, ready to resume his role of "referee".  
  
"I am so tired, Ron, so tired!" Hermione cried.  
  
Ron was quick on the uptake. "You think I'm not Hermione? You think I like this?"  
  
"I didn't say that!"  
  
"Oh, but you surely did imply it!"  
  
"There you are again, Ron!"  
  
"Again? What do you mean again?!" Ron bellowed.  
  
Harry cleared his throat before speaking. "Uh, guys," he said feebly. But the two didn't seem to have heard him.  
  
"I mean that you're assuming everything again, " Hermione yelled.  
  
Ron opened and closed his mouth as he thought of a reply. Meanwhile, Harry found it the perfect opportunity to butt in.  
  
"Hey, guys," he began. But Ron chose the same time to retort and Harry's effort was once again put to waste.  
  
"Oh, so I only assumed that you were talking to Malfoy half an hour ago, huh, did I? Did I?!"  
  
"Ron…" Harry started again.  
  
"You assumed that we were doing something wrong!" Hermione yelled.  
  
"Hermione…" Harry said in a louder voice.  
  
"Why, weren't you?!" Ron argued.  
  
"COULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP FOR A SINGLE MINUTE HERE!" Harry burst out.The two jumped violently, surprised at their friend's sudden out burst. They both faced him with guilty looks on their faces.  
  
Harry closed his eyes for a second and spoke again. "I'm trying to help you!"  
  
Ron snorted loudly. "If anyone needed any help here, it would be her!" he said bitterly, jerking his head to Hermione's direction.  
  
"Oh so it's my problem now, is it?" Hermione snapped.  
  
"Of course it is, because---"  
  
But nobody found out the reason because even as Ron continued on opening his mouth no sound came out.  
  
"It's my turn to talk now," Harry said calmly, his wand pointing at Ron. Hermione seemed ready to have another go but Harry was quicker.  
  
"Silencio!" He pointed his wand at Hermione's throat. " Accio wands!" He called out and Ron's and Hermione's wands came zooming out of their pockets and into Harry's outstretched hands.  
  
Nobody spoke for some time.  
  
"There now," Harry said finally. "Isn't that nicer?"  
  
Ron flailed his arms helplessly, as though trying to express his feelings. Hermione just stood there, looking at Ron with pure disgust.  
  
"Look, you guys," Harry said wearily, "don't you think you've had enough of this… this never-ending fight!" He looked at the two and sighed heavily.  
  
"I just couldn't see the reason why you keep on convincing yourselves that your relationship is working when you can't even have a peaceful afternoon together!"  
  
Hermione looked at the ground. Ron seemed offended.  
  
"I have tried," he continued, "and tried to understand you, both of you and why you're acting like the way you are. I thought it was just because you weren't able to adjust to each other yet. Or maybe because you don't know how to act around each other now that you're officially a couple. But when I see you, Ron, trash all your stuff around out of anger, I can't help but feel concerned!" He looked at Ron, who wasn't able to meet his gaze. "And you, Hermione," he turned to the girl at his right, "when I see you crying your heart out to Ginny, I feel like I want to kick something!"  
  
Hermione looked abashed.  
  
Harry covered his face with both his hands and continued speaking, though his voice was slightly muffled. "When I see what you've both done to yourselves, I can't bring myself to like any girl and have a serious relationship with her because I'm afraid that the same thing would happen to us!"  
  
"Harry," Hermione mouthed.  
  
Harry threw his hands up in frustration. "Yes, that's why I can't tell Ginny about how I feel about her yet, because I don't want to see her crying like you, Hermione. And if I ever get myself into another huge mistake and end up with the heavy burden of it, I don't think I can just swallow it up anymore!"  
  
Ron looked up at him in surprise.   
  
Harry felt his legs give way so he sat solemnly on the floor and continued.  
  
"You think your arguments don't affect me, that I try and fix things just because you're both my friends and it's my obligation to do so… but no! I do it because I believe that if you can work things out then things might not turn out bad for me, too!"   
  
Ron and Hermione sat down on either side of him.   
  
Ron had a sad look in his eyes. "We're sorry, Harry.." he said soundlessly.  
  
Harry grinned. He handed back their wands and muttered the counter spells.   
  
"We're sorry, Harry," Ron apologized again. And this time, Harry heard him.  
  
Hermione's voice trembled as she spoke. "Oh, Harry, it was so insensitive of us! We never knew that… that…" Hermione couldn't continue further and started to sob.  
  
"Herm," Harry said consolingly. "Hey, don't cry, it's okay, really. I just wanted you to know, I mean -"  
  
"It's okay, mate," Ron patted his shoulder. He stood up and went to Hermione and put his arms around her. Hermione hugged Ron and sobbed harder. Harry smiled at them.  
  
"We promise, Harry," Ron said as he stroked Hermione's hair, "we'll never fight if we could talk things out. We're really sorry, mate. I know it's been hard putting up with us and, well, thanks."  
  
Harry nodded and stood up. "That's what friends are for, right? There's just this one thing you could do for me," he added sheepishly.  
  
Hermione looked up from Ron's shoulder, tears still pouring down her cheeks. "Anything, Harry, anything we could do to make up for all of this!" Ron nodded in agreement.  
  
"Well," Harry hesitated. "Could you… could you not tell Ginny about...uh, the slip I had earlier? I think I'm not ready to, uh, tell her yet. Not that I'm not serious about it or anything!" He said quickly seeing the look on Ron's face.  
  
Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, Harry. You're secret's safe with us,"  
  
The three friends laughed together and were so happy that they made up that they didn't notice the sound of footsteps quickly climbing the girls' staircase, her red hair flying behind.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: The product of a boring, sweltering hot afternoon out of frustration because I didn't get enough reviews... huhuhu... So please, if you liked this, don't just read it and keep your comments all to yourself, don't be selfish; Review!!!! Because writers get their fuel from your bad and/or good criticisms. Remember without readers, there would be no writers. That is the law of nature... or the law of frustrated people clamoring for reviews, in the least. R&R! 


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